By Luis Jaime Acosta
BOGOTA () - Colombia will decide within months from which NATO country it will purchase fighter jets, new Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez said, acknowledging that illegal armed groups have taken advantage of peace efforts to strengthen themselves militarily.
Colombia has been looking to replace its fleet of more than 30-year-old Israeli Kfir planes for more than a decade and is considering U.S.-made F-16s, Sweden's Gripen and France's Rafale, Sanchez said in a Sunday interview.
"This is an issue of sovereignty. We cannot leave Colombia unprotected in this capacity," said Sanchez, a former air force general who left the military to take up his ministerial post.
He would not say how much Colombia will spend on the planes or how many it will buy, but the government said in 2023 it had a $3.65 billion budget to purchase some 16 planes.
Groups such as the National Liberation Army (ELN) insurgents, ex-members of the disarmed Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) who have rearmed themselves, along with the criminal organisation known as the Clan del Golfo, have enhanced their military capabilities and increased their territorial control during ongoing peace initiatives. These include talks between the administration led by President Gustavo Petro and these factions, according to Sanchez.
Petro, Colombia's inaugural leftist president, vowed to conclude a six-decades-old conflict that has claimed 450,000 lives. However, with fewer than 17 months remaining in his term, he hasn't signed any agreements yet.
Taking part in peace discussions doesn’t require armed factions to cease unlawful actions. However, Sanchez pointed out that ongoing drug smuggling and illicit mining enabled these groups to boost their combat capabilities.
"He stated that 'they betrayed the Colombian people, amplified their narco-criminal influence, and it is essential to combat this issue,' " Sanchez mentioned.
Sanchez stated that should the United States decide to reduce or halt military assistance, it could undermine actions aimed at tackling "the scourge of narcotics trafficking." This includes initiatives targeting the manufacture of cocaine.
For several years, Washington has been progressively reducing military assistance, yet the funds provided by the U.S., which include support for social programmes, remain at approximately $400 million each year.
In 2023, Colombia was capable of producing approximately 2,664 metric tons of cocaine each year.
“If we break apart, we create room for the criminals,” Sanchez stated, commenting on the relationship between the U.S. and Colombia as well as the funding for drug-fighting initiatives.
(Luis Jamie Acosta Reporting; Writing by Julia Symmes Cobb; Edited by Bill Berkrot)
